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The City of Mesa is part of the Phoenix Mesa Scottsdale Metropolitan area located in Maricopa County, Arizona. It is the third largest city in the state (behind Phoenix and Tucson). Founded in 1878 by Mormon pioneers, Mesa's population remains approximately one-tenth Mormon. Even though Mesa is a suburban city, it actually has a larger population than some of the better known cities in the nation, such as St. Louis, Missouri, Miami, Florida and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While Mesa currently ranks as the 41st largest city in the United States, it still maintains its bedroom community feel thanks in large part to Mesa's minimal downtown area. There is also a large senior community in the city.
 The 2005 mid-decade Census survey estimated Mesa's population to be 442,780. Of the population aged 25 and older in 2000, 25.7% were high school graduates, 37.4% had some college or an associate's degree, 14.9% had a Bachelor's degree and 6.7% had a Master's, professional or doctorate degree. The median home value in 2000 was $112,100 and the median household income in 1999 was $42,817. The average commute time in Mesa is exactly the same as the national average: 26 minutes. |